I was humbled yesterday when I rode on a MX track for the first time. There was some BIG jumps with steep landings. It looks as though I need to clear doubles and triples to have a nice landing. Unfortunately, I was by myself and nobody was around. I thought it would be best to have someone there to take me to a hospital incase I didn't get enough speed.

Regardless... I had a few questions about landings...

1. When landing... is it better to land flat with 4 wheels- or- gas it a little and let the back tires hit the ground first? (I found by gasing it a bit before landing- it softened the landing).

2. Will aftermarket shocks (works, axis, elko) help soften the landing? How noticable is it? How about longer A-arms?

3. How do you take your FIRST double or triple for the very first time? I don't want to under or over jump.

4. Are steering stableizers helpful?

5. How about some tips on taking the woops... those kicked my ***.

6. How hard and how long do you lock the rear brake to tip the nose of the bike?

7. When taking the turns- is it better to hit the berm or cut the inside?

** Any other MX tips to shave time would be extremely helpful. I'm going to start racing- and I'm just teaching myself at this point.

I have an all new respect for MX racing. After only 1 lap- I was exhausted.

 

Good questions... I want the answers too and it wouldn't let me subscribe w/o replying so that is all this is here for.


Hopefully you'll get some good responses cause I think ALLOT of people would like to know this stuff.

 

Those are a lot of questions:
1. The last 4wheel ATV Action did a whole article on jumping. I strongly suggest you get it. It should answer all questions you need for jumping. It tells about form, landing, and exactly how to go about doing your first double!!! ...exactly what you need to know. It's the August issue of 2001. I strongly reccomend you buy it. Maybe your local dealer has an issue you can look at or buy. if not try http://www.4wheelatv.com/backissues.asp

2. I hear nothing but rave reviews about Works Performance Tripples with Rezzies on the front. Sure they're expensive, but it's what many many MX riders use, and I hear they're incredible. +2 or +3 A-arms also help in case you have a crooked landing; it can be very forgiving and save you. Not to mention the handling upgrade... But that's quite a bit of money. So it's really up to you..but TO ME, it wouldn't make sense to get +2 a-arms or works at separate times. I'd save and buy them at the same time. Try ATV RACING . You can buy them there for decent prices and they'll make the shocks specifically for the extended a-arms.

3. Look at the article but ultimately it's trial and error.

I really can't help you other than that; I'm just haven't read enough on the rest of your questions. I'm sure someone will tell you how to do the jumps, but again I strongly suggest you get that article, explained by professionals [how come I don't doubt someone will say "You don't need that article..I'll tell you right now"(but if you can trust some guy here go ahead)].

 

I like to land on the rear first. On jumps with sloped landings I jump kind of like dirt bikes and hit the rear brake and pitch the nose down to land with the ramp and get on the power sooner. Stabilizer reduces rider arm fatigue kind of a luxury on a budget. Front shocks make a lot of difference. Most ramps have a lot of angle to them so throttle on take off will pitch you too high so I hit most doubles with speed and not blip the top so I go straighter not higher. #1 track tip is 18" rear tires they allow you to turn and handle much better. Usually run in third gear on most tracks with 18"s. Arms and axles (longer) make it more stable and add speed in the turns without high siding.Whoops depend on the size and spacing. Take them in pairs like mini doubles, if you get a run at them jump 3 at first and ride the rest out. I like to stand on the rear of the quad and hold the gas open it powers through nicely unless they are like 3ft tall. On turns it depends where your competition is and what you are setting up for. Berms let you carry more speed through the turn but leave room for you to undercut. For the first double watch a good rider by listening to his bike then follow him find his gear, speed and "Just Do It". Practice your starts only two places to be first or last.

 

I hate to say this, but no one here can really answer those questions.I can throw a few tips at ya, like always land on the gas, don't rev it stupid, but it smooths out the landing immensly.How long you hit the brake and all that is just feel man, you just have to feel how hard you got to accelerate to clear the double or whatever.Just get out there and ride and practice.Good luck.

 

When upgrading the shocks- is it necessary to upgrade the rear shock as well- or is it mainly the front shocks that make the difference?

 

I have Works trip rates with rezzies and they are incredible compared to stock. There is just no comparison! I know there are much better shocks than the Works but they are sooo much better than stock and are the cheapest aftermarket shock you can get. I got mine used for $300.

I did not modify my rear shock. I got the works fronts and then just cranked my compression up all the way on my stock 250R rear shock. I weigh 245 lbs and race B class and have had no problems. You won't believe the diff if you just get some new front shocks.

Lastly - if you think you are ever gonna get longer a-arms then you will want to get shocks and arms at the same time (big $$$).

 

To jump your first double, i dont think you want to try one at an MX track. Build your own. Start very small, and work your way up. This will allow you to get a good feel for the sense of jumping a double. Thats the way i started and now im jumping 80 foot jumps at the local MX and SX tracks. If you want to feel the full performance of the new front shocks, have your rear reworked or get an aftermarket. When i got my AXIS rear, my WORKS fronts seemed alot better.

 

i don't know if i stressed enough that if you're going to go with after market shocks, how much i reccomend getting them with +2 a-arms! it just doesn't make sense if you don't. I don't think the rear is nearly as important. When you're on table tops and doubles, you should even land on the rears!

 

...ALIBABA-

I have looked EVERYWHERE for that ATVSPort issue and nobody carries it. Can you give all of us a recap of what that article said?- or does someone want to send that old issue to me? I'd gladly pay shipping!